Automatic switch for fuse-wires in electric circuits.



No. 7l2,204. Patented Oct. 28, I902.

E. W. PELTON.

AUTOMATIC SWITCH FOR FUSE WIRES IN ELECTRIC CIRCUITS.

(Application filed Nov. 30, 1901.

(No Model.) a Shuts-Sheet 1,

No. 7|2,2o4. v Patented Oct. 28, I902.

E. .w. PELTON.

AUTOIATIC SWITCH FOR FUSE WIRES IN ELECTRIC CIRCUITS.

(Applicntion filed Nov. 30, 1901,:

(No lludel.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

No. 7|2,204. Patented Oct. 23, I902. E. W. PELTUN.

AUTOMATIC SWITCH FOR FUSE WIRES IN ELECTRIC CIRCUITS.

(Applicltion filed Nov. 30, 1901) (No Model.)

3 Sheets'-Sheet 3.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD \V. PELTON, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSAGHUSETIS.

AUTOMATIC SWITCH FOR FUSE-WIRES IN ELECTRIC CIRCUITS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 712,204, dated October 28, 1902.

Application filed November 30,1901. Serial No. 84,179. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD W. PELToN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Springfield, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts,haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Switches for Fuse-\Vires in Electric Circuits, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the construction of electric circuits in which a fusible section is incorporated to protect the line from an excessive current; and the invention is directed to the provision of means whereby when by reason of an excess of current on a line a fusible section thereof is burned out an automatically-operating device is set in motion whereby the break made in the line by the destruction of the fuse may be closed and the circuit reestablished.

A further object of the invention is to provide means whereby the reestablishment of said circuit: may be more or less retarded; and still another object is to provide means whereby the devices operating to reestablish the circuit through a new fusible section may also act to automatically cut out another part of the line-as, for instance, in telephone-circuits, to automatically out out the well-known carbon-protector situated between the fusewire and the instrument and bring into the circuit which includes the new fuse a protector which has not been used.

WVith these ends in View the invention consists in the construction of the apparatus, which is fully described in the following specification and pointed out in the claims.

The drawings forming part of this application comprise Figure 1, which is in the nature of a diagrammatic view and illustrates the application of my invention in its simplest form to an electric circuit. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the automatic device whereby a broken circuit is reestablished through another fuse-wire. Fig. 3 illustrates the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 as applied to a somewhat-different circuit, the instrument in this case having a double function. Fig. t is a somewhat-enlarged View of the apparatus which is embodied in my invention, showing the form thereof which is adapted to operate a double switch and having applied thereto a device for retarding its movement.

Fig. 5 illustrates the device in another position. Fig. 6 is a plan View of Fig. 4.

The above-referred-to drawings show my invention in a form more particularly adapted to use on telephone-circuits than any other, and in the following specification the description thereof will be confined to its use in this connection; but it may be stated here that its use is not restricted to telephone-circuits, but is applicable to many other electric circuits in which fusible sections are located for the protection of the line and which it may be desirable to replace automatically.

In telephone-circuits the practice is, as is well known, to insert a fuse-wire in the line for the protection thereof and for the protection of the building in which the instrument may be located, which fuse-wire, by giving way under an abnormal electriccurrent coming in on the line, will cut off that part of the line beyond it. When this occurs, it is necessary to send a workman to insert a new f use-wire in the line. to reestablish the circuit.

By means of my invention I provide in each line several fuse-wires instead of one and automaticallyoperating devices operable by the rupture of one fuse-wire to reestablish the circuit through another, this other when ruptured operating to set in motion another device like the first to reestablish the circuit through still another fusewire. The number of fuse-wires may be as great as desired.

In carrying out my invention let it be assumed that the wires a and b are portions of the same circuit, between which connection is made through afusible section. In a telephone-circuit these fusible sections would be in the form of a wire (indicated by c) which is attached by one end to the wire a and by its opposite end to an arm d, which is pivotally supported at c. From the hub of this arm (I a wirefextends to the part b of the line. The connection, therefore, from a to b of the line will be through the fuse-wire c, the arm d, and the wire f.

There is pivotally supported, as at an arm h, whose free end is hook-shaped, as at '13, and the point of which engages beneath a flattened section of the hub ofthe arm (I in such manner that a suitable spring-asj, for instance-shay be made to put upon the fusewire 0 a certain tension, whereby it is held taut, said fuse-wire preventing the escape of the hooked end of the arm h from engagement with the hub of the arm d. In Figs. 1 and 2 this position of the parts is shown. On the arm it there is located a metal wedge-shaped piece 70, which is adapted to enter between the pointsof the switch 6, the members of which switch constitute the terminals of a safety connection extending between the parts a and b of the line and including a new fusewire.

From the above description it is seen that the rupture of the first of the fuse-wires c breaks the connection between a and b. The connections through all of the remaining fusewires between a and b are normally broken at the switch Z, which is located in each. Said switches are so situated that when the arm h is released, as by the breaking of a fuse-wire, its springj will cause it to describe a half-circle and drive the wedge is between the points of the switch, thus completing a new connection through the fuse-wire situated next to the one which is ruptured. A glance at Fig; 1 (starting from the bottom) will show that while the connection from a, to b is established through the first fuse-wire,the arm d, and the wiref, no switch is included, but the switch 1 for the second fuse-wire is located inposition to be engaged by the arm which is operated by the breaking of the first fuse-wire. The connection through the second fuse-wire would be through the wire 0, the arm (1, and a wire m, extending to the part b of the line, but interrupted by the switch l. When a series of these arms are set upon a board, the bottom linef will not run through a switch Z, and the last fuse-wire will not be connected to an arm (1, but simply to a post n, from which connection will be made with the switch 1 by a wire m, as in the construction intermediate of the top and bottom fusewires. It will be observed that in a circuit constructed in this way no current passes through the arm h, but only throughthe switch-plug thereon when the latter is in connection with the switch Z, and good connections are thus made possible throughout.

It must be borne in mind that this invention does not run to any particular type of.

apparatus illustrated or described in this application, for there are many ways other than those shown herein whereby the breaking of the wire might operate a device to reestablish the circuit through another wire; but the type of instrument shown herein is thought to be well adapted to the purpose.

In telephone-circuits the fuse-wires have but little tensile strength, and by making the hooked end of the arm h of such shape that it may bear only a little to one side of the axis of the arm 01 but very little tension will thereby be put upon the fuse-wire by the actuating-springj of said arm; but however slight that tension said spring will operate upon the breaking of the f use-wire to rotate the arm on its axis to effectthe 'release of said arm h. It is desirable, further, that there shall be an appreciable lapse of time between the breaking of one fuse-wire and the restablishment of the circuit through another, to the end that several of the Wires may not be blown out in succession by a too-rapid restablishment of the circuit before the line had been cleared through its ground connection of its excess of current, and it is thought that the time occupied by the arm h in traveling through a half-circle will provide for the necessary lapse of time between the breaking and the reestablishment of said circuit. This period may be lengthened, if desired, or shortened by increasing the distance the arm 72 must travel or by other means, which will be referred to farther on.

In Fig. 3 there is illustrated a circuit which includes that shown in Fig. 1, but which has in addition thereto an auxiliary circuit, whereby the carbon-protector (indicated in this figure by 0) may be cut out of a line and an unused one brought into the new circuit which is established upon the breaking of a fuse-wire. This carbon-protectonas is well known, is located beyond the fuse-wire and is for the purpose of grounding any excess of current which may pass over the fuse-Wire before the rupture of the latter. The method of constructing this circuit is as follows: The circuit shown in Fig. 1 is all includedin Fig. 2, the letters of reference being the same, the running of the circuit, however, varying a little between the switches Z and the part b of the line, as follows: Starting from the bottom the circuit is first established between vthe parts a and b of the line, the same as in Fig. 1, except that the wirefinstead of running directly to the part b of the line has connected into it, as shown, the protector 0, from which the wire 10 extends to 'a second switch q, through which normally the current passes onto the line Z). From the protector 0 the ground-line r is taken off in the usual manner. The arm h in this construction is provided with the switch-plug k, of metal, as in the before described construction, having thereon a tip 8 of some non-conducting material. Assuming now 'the wire 0 to be rup tured, the arm it will be thrown over to bring the plug 7.: into contact with the switch land to force the tip 8 of said plug between the two extremities of the switch q, thereby breaking the continuity of the linefthrough the protector 0 to the line b; but the plug 10 establishes a line through a new carbon-protector and the second fuse-wire 0 because of the connection between the switches Z and said part b of the line, which connections include a new protector 0 and another switch g. It is therefore apparent that the arm it may have the double function of cutting in a newcarhon-protector and reestablishinga circuit through a new fuse-wire by means set in operation by the rupture of another fuse-wire.

IIO

Figs. 4, 5, and 6 show a construction simi lar to that in Fig. 3 in two positions in side elevation and also in plan view in one of those positions and include all of the operative devices shown in said Fig. 3 on a somewhat larger scale and shows means whereby the reestablishment of a new circuit upon the interruption of an established circuit may be very considerably retarded. These means consist in forming on the hub of the arm h a segmental rack, the teeth of which engage a pinion u, on whose shaft there is a fan 1). This, owing to the resistance of the air, will retard the speed of the arm h to such a degree as may be necessary to give the proper time to its movements.

By the use of the within-described invention a great saving of labor is efiectedin maintaining electric circuits in operative condition, and it applies especially to telephonecircuits. By means of this invention each telephone may be provided with a sufficient number of fuse-wires to last for a long time.

Another advantage which may be derived from the use of the invention lies in the fact that if it is found that a telephone-circuitis in bad working order owing to the deterioration of the carbon-protector, whereby the sounds transmitted become more or less blurred, it is possible where an instrument is fitted with a plurality of carbon-protectors as well as with fuses to make an instantaneous connection between the line and some source of electricity having a sufliciently high voltage to rupture one of the fuses to thus switch in a new fuse and a new carbon protector, as described herein, from the exchange-office. Vhere telephones are situated, as they are in many cases, at considerable distances from the exchange office, it is very desirable to be able to make this change in the manner stated and avoid the necessity of sending a man to the telephone to do it, as is now the case.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In an electrical circuit, a series of successivelyarranged safety connections between the two parts of the line, each including a fusible section and a switch, and a fuse-restrained trip for each switch, substantially as set forth.

2. In an electrical circuit, a fusible safety connection between the two parts of the line, and other successively-arranged similar connections each including a fusible section and a normally open switch, and a circuit-controlling device for each safety connection comprising a self-acting switch-closer, and separate means for restraining the closer and holding the fusible section at a light tension, substantially as set forth.

3. In an electrical circuit, a fusible safety connection between the two parts of the line, other successively-arranged similar connections each including a fusible section and a normally open switch, and a circuit-controlling device associated with each safety connection and comprising a self-acting switchcloser, and separate means, interposed between the switch-closer, and the fusible section, for restraining the former and holding the latter at a light tension, substantially as set forth.

4. In an electrical circuit, a fusible safety connection between the two parts of the line, other successively-arranged similar connections each including a fusible section and a normally open switch, and a circuit-controlling device associated with each safety connection and comprising a self-acting springactuated circuit-closer, and separate fuse-restrained means for normally restraining the switch-closer, substantially as set forth.

5. In an electrical circuit, a fusible safety connection between the two parts of the line, other successively-arranged similar connections each including a fusible section and a normally open switch, and a circuit-controlling device associated with each safety connection and comprising a self-acting springactuated switch-closer, and separate means, interposed between the said closer and the fusible section, for restraining the former and holding the latter at a light tension, substantially as set forth.

6. In an electrical circuit, a fusible safety connection between the two parts of the line, other successively-arranged similar connections each including a fusible section and a normally open switch, and a circuit-controlling device associated with each safety connection and comprising a fuse-restraining trip member, and a switch-closer releasable from said trip member and cooperating with the open switch of the next succeeding safety connection, substantially as set forth.

7. In an electrical circuit, a fusible safety connection between the two parts of the line, other successively-arranged similar connections each including a fusible section and a. normally open switch, and a circuit-controlling device associated with each safety connection and comprising a fuse restrained trip member, and a self-acting spring-actuated switch-closer releasable from said trip member and cooperating with the open switch of the next succeeding safety connection, substantially as set forth.

8. In an electrical circuit, a fusible safety connection between the two parts of the line, other successively-arranged similar connections each including a fusible section and a normally open switch, and a circuit-controlling device associated with each safety connection and comprising a pivotal fuse-restrained trip member and a pivotal self-acting switch-closer releasable from said trip member and cooperating with the open switch of the next succeeding safety connection, substantially as set forth. 7

9. In an electrical circuit, a fusible safety connection between the two parts of the line, other successively-arranged similar connections each including a fusible section and a normally open switch, and a circuit-controlling device associated with each safety connection and comprisinga fuse-restrained pivotal trip-arm having a hub-section, and a springactuated swinging switch-closing arm having a hook whose point engages said hub-section at one side of the axis of the trip-arm, substantially as set forth.

10. In an electrical circuit, a fusible safety connection between the two parts of the line, other successively-arranged similar connections each including a fusible section and a normally open switch, and a circuit-controlling device associated With each safety connection and comprising a fuse-restrained pivotal trip-arm having a flattened hub-section, and a spring-actuated pivotally-supported switch-closing arm carrying a contact-plug and provided at its swinging end with a hook whose point is adapted to engage the hubsection at one side of the axis of the trip-arm, substantially as set forth.

11. In an electrical circuit, the main circuit having auxiliary connections including carbon-protectors, a fusible cut-out mechanism comprising means for cutting a new fuse and carbon-protector into the circuit and simultaneously cutting out the carbon-protector associated with the ruptured fuse, substantially as set forth.

12. In an electrical circuit, the main circuit having a series of auxiliary connections including carbon-protectors, a fusible cut-out mechanism including a succession of safety or cut-out connections and comprising means for cutting a new fuse and carbon-protector into the circuit, and simultaneously cutting out the carbon-protector associated with the ruptured fuse, substantially as set forth.

13. In an electrical circuit, the main circuit having a series of auxiliary connections including carbon-protectors, a fusible safety or cut-out connection between the two parts of the line, other successively-arranged similar connections each including a fusible section and a normally open switch, and means associated with each safety connection for simultaneously closing the circuit through the switch of the next succeeding section and cutting out the carbon-protector associated with a ruptured fuse, substantially as set forth.

14. In an electrical circuit, the main circuit having a series of auxiliary connections including carbon-protectors, each of said auxiliary connections having a normally closed switch, a fusible safety or cut-out connection between the two parts of the line, other successively-arranged similar connections each includin g a fusible section and a normally open switch, paired with one of said normally closed switches, and a single switch-controller associated with each pair of switches to provide for simultaneously closing the circuit through one and breaking it through the other, substantially as set forth.

EDWARD W. PELTON. Witnesses:

WILLIAM H. OHAPIN, K. I. OLEMoNs. 

